Final Fantasy 8: Future Bound

by Darsar

The continuation of the events of Final Fantasy 8, shortly after the conclusion of the game.

10. Chapter 10: First Battle

Chapter 10

First Battle

(Zell)

"This is the final mission briefing," Quistis said. "If anyone has any questions or concerns, this will be your last chance to voice them. Timber should be visible in the next hour, and all of you are expected to be at your assigned stations, ready for combat, fifteen minutes prior to landing. There are no excuses for being tardy or unprepared."

Quistis stood on the same stage where, only a few days prior, Headmaster Cid had announced SeeD's new direction for the future. The only difference was that now—tacked on the wall behind her—was a scale map of Timber and the surrounding area, large enough to be visible from the far end of the quad. The entire student body assembled on the floor, standing at attention in neat columns and rows. Cid and Edea sat on chairs behind Quistis, watching her as she spoke. Cid's normally genial, smiling face was stern, humorless.

Zell stood near the middle of the formation of students, his gloved hands held straight along the sides of his SeeD uniform. His eyes flicked from Quistis, to Cid and Edea, then back to Quistis. His energy screamed in his veins, making him feel as though he could jump from the quad all the way to Timber in a single leap.

(Almost time!)

"Our primary objective is to insert three SeeDs safely into the Timber TV station," Quistis said, "Where they will make contact with the members of the resistance and begin enacting the next phase of the operation from within the city. To accomplish this mission requires one of the biggest coordinated SeeD offenses in our history.

"After we make land outside of Timber," Quistis said, taking out a thin wooden pointer and gesturing on the map behind her, angling the tip of the pointer towards the eastern side of Timber, "We will deploy the first team, codenamed the 'Decoy Team.' The Decoy Team's objective is to attempt to gain access to Timber via their Eastern Gate. Intelligence from both the Timber resistance and our own sources report that the Eastern Gate is not heavily guarded, but is situated in a point where it is easy to reinforce if attacked. The Decoy Team will cause as much damage to the Galbadian Army as possible, hopefully drawing many troops and artillery in their direction. As you can expect, here is where the fighting will be hardest. To those of you assigned to the Decoy Team: take care of yourselves and each other, and remember your training.

"Once the Decoy Team is deployed, Garden will circle south around Timber to the western side, where we will deploy the second and third teams, codenamed the 'Contact Team' and the 'Support Team.' Using a train supplied by the resistance, both teams will infiltrate the city. Once they have reached a designated safe spot in the city, the two teams will separate, with the Contact Team heading on foot the rest of the way to the TV Station while the Support Team withdraws from Timber, hopefully fooling the Galbadians into thinking that they are in retreat. If it goes according to plan, the Galbadians will devote their energy to fighting the Decoy Team and chasing off the Support Team, completely unaware that the Contact Team has reached the TV Station.

"While this is going on, the fourth and final team, codenamed the 'Garden Team,' will remain at Garden and fend off any attacks the Galbadian's may send after us. After the first three teams have been deposited, Garden will circle south around Timber again, entering into the ocean to shake off any ground pursuit, before returning to the east side to collect the Decoy Team. Then Garden will make one pass—either to the north or the south depending on the conditions of the battle—to collect the Support Team as they flee by train westward out of the city. Once the Contact Team is in the TV Station and both the Support and Decoy Teams have been collected, Garden will escape into the ocean and await our next move."

Quistis pulled down her pointer and held it in both hands, facing the assembled student body. "The ultimate goal is to get the Contact Team successfully to their destination, while tricking the Galbadians into thinking we failed our mission. It is of the utmost importance that the Galbadians are not made aware of the Contact Team, so it is up to both the Support Team and Decoy Team to give convincing performances. Do not hold back."

She set down her pointer on the podium and concluded her speech. "Specifications for each stage of the operation are known by the individual Team Leaders. The Garden Team Leader is Nida, the Support Team Leader is Mireya, the Contact Team Leader is Xu, and I am the Decoy Team Leader. Speak to your Team Leader now if you have any further questions. Make whatever preparations you need, and be ready at your assigned location at 1545. That is all. Dismissed."

(Wait… Who's Mireya?)

While Zell sorted through his memories trying to figure out who Mireya was, Quistis stepped away from the podium. Nida, Xu, and a third girl that Zell assumed must have been Mireya broke away from the formation on the floor and joined Quistis on the stage. Cid and Edea rose from their seats and stood ready to answer any questions.

Once dismissed, most of the SeeDs and cadets filed out of the quad, heading to make their final preparations. A handful, mostly cadets in blue uniforms, approached the stage to speak with their respective team leaders. Zell didn't have any questions, but he stepped onto the stage anyway.

The longest two lines—still no more than a half dozen students each—formed in front of Quistis and the girl Zell assumed was Mireya. He took a moment to examine the unfamiliar girl from afar.

Mireya was quite possibly the most unremarkable girl Zell had ever seen. She had hair as black as her SeeD uniform, the tips of which brushed against her shoulders. Her face was pale, smooth, and commonplace, accessorized with a pair of black-rimmed glasses. She was a little shorter than most girls, but not by much, and she wore no jewelry or accessories. It was no wonder Zell didn't remember her; in truth he probably had seen her many times before, but had simply forgotten.

(Man, she's like the girl version of Nida, as far as being ordinary.)

"Ready for this?" Xu asked, approaching Zell from the side. He jumped a little, then laughed.

"Jeez! Spooked me," Zell said. "But yeah! I'm so ready for this."

He emphasized his point by punching his fist into the palm of his other hand.

"You know that we're working with Dax, right?" Xu asked. She crossed her arms and learned forward. The gesture reminded Zell of Quistis. "I trust there won't be any trouble between you two?"

(Dax? Why's that name familiar? Oh, right…)

"That guy I fought for my test," Zell said. He frowned in thought. "Why would there be trouble?"

Xu shrugged. "He's not the most gracious in defeat. Ever since you beat him, he's been rather vocal about his dislike of you."

Zell slumped his shoulders dramatically.

(Oh man, all I need is another Seifer in my life…)

"So why'd you put him on the Contact Team with us?" Zell asked. "Seems like you're askin' for trouble that way."

"Like I said when I proctored your test," Xu said. "He's one of our best fighters. And we need fighters for the Contact Team, because we don't make as much noise or draw as much attention as other weapon specialties. We can't be firing guns, casting magic, or anything like that when we're supposed to be quietly infiltrating the TV Station."

(Oh…)

"Guess that makes sense…" Zell said.

"Any questions about the details of our mission?" Xu asked. "Last chance to go over it with me."

For all the SeeDs, Zell included, the whole day had been nothing but relentless briefings again and again, going over the general mission, plus plenty of individual time with the Team Leaders to go over every possible scenario each team could face during the battle. Zell had never been a quick study, but even he felt oversaturated by the end of it.

"Nah, I think I got it," Zell said. From the corner of his eye, Zell noticed that the line for Mireya was shortening.

(I guess I can ask…)

"Not a question about the mission," Zell said. "But who's she?" He pointed at Mireya.

"Hmm? Oh, Mireya," Xu said, peering over at the girl. "She's one of our newest admins. She does… umm…" Xu paused a moment to think. "Residency Supervisor. Basically she's in charge of the dorms. She's not the most exciting person, but she does her work well and the students seem to respect her, which is why she's heading the Support Team."

"Gotcha."

"I want to say something to Q before I forget," Xu said. She nodded at Zell. "I'll see you at the front gate, okay?"

"See ya," Zell said, with a wave. Xu waved back and walked over to Quistis, taking a spot at the end of the line of students who were waiting to ask the Commander a question.

Meanwhile, the last student around Nida broke away from him and left the quad. Smiling with all his teeth, Nida bounced over to Zell, shaking with excitement.

"I'm head of the Garden Team!" Nida said, almost shouting into Zell's face. "It's so awesome! I've never been in charge of anything before! This is so cool!"

Zell smiled back, Nida's enthusiasm feeding into his own. "That's awesome, man! But hey, don't you feel left out? I mean, you gotta stay at Garden the whole time. Seems like a drag."

"Are you kidding?" Nida said. "I'm gonna have my hands full the whole mission. I gotta pilot the Garden, you know. Plus leading all the students on the Garden Team, plus making all the rendezvous points at the scheduled times. I'm the lynchpin of the operation! It's a big job."

"Heh, guess I never thought of it that way," Zell said. He scratched the back of his head. "You'll do great, man. The Garden's in good hands with you."

"It sure is!" Nida said. "I gotta go. See you, Zell!"

"Later!"

Jumping and skipping, Nida dashed out of the quad. Zell laughed to himself when he heard Nida start singing a SeeD rallying song as he ran.

(Nida's so pumped! Good for him!)

By this time, most of the cadets had already asked their questions, leaving the stage mostly empty. The only people left were the Team Leaders, Cid, Edea, and Ami, who was talking to Mireya. He went over to the two ladies and waited for them to finish their conversation, shifting on his feet and looking around. Mireya noticed him first, then Ami. Ami smiled broadly at Zell, and he reflexively responded in kind.

"Hey, Zell," Ami said.

"Hey," Zell said. He had a ton of things he wanted to say to her, but he was embarrassed to say anything with witnesses around. Just thinking about it made him blush a little. He coughed and rubbed his neck, trying to calm himself down. It wasn't that he was embarrassed by Ami, or ashamed of being seen with her, but somehow the idea of being in a relationship still felt awkward to him. It just seemed easier to keep everything in private.

Mireya turned to him. "You're on the Contact Team with Xu, correct?" she asked. Her voice was soft and even, every syllable pronounced precisely.

"Yup," Zell said. Focusing on answering her questions instead of thinking about the upcoming mission helped him settle his nerves.

"I look forward to working with you, then," Mireya said with a nod. "I've heard good things about your skills, and I'm interested in seeing you in combat."

Zell grinned, color flooding his cheeks. "Heh, what didya hear?"

Mireya's expression never changed. "I heard you bested Dax in one-on-one combat. I heard he never hit you once."

(That's not totally true…)

"Well, he did tackle me," Zell said, looking at the floor. "But he didn't really hit me, no."

"Impressive, nonetheless," Mireya said. She turned to Ami. "If you have no further questions?"

"No, I'm good," Ami said. She bowed politely. "Thank you, Team Leader."

"Good bye, Zell, Ami," Mireya said. She nodded to the two of them, then left, heading down the stairs of the stage and to the exit. Zell watched her leave with mild curiosity.

(She seems nice.)

(Kinda boring though…)

Ami smiled at Zell. "You would not believe how nervous I am," she said. She held up her hand, flat, to demonstrate how much it was shaking. Zell stepped in close and stared at her quivering hand.

"That's nothin'," Zell said. "You'd be surprised how nervous Iwas before my Field Exam. Thought I was gonna have a heart attack on the boat ride over. So don't think you're the only one. I'm pretty sure everyone gets freaked out by Field Exams."

(Except Squall and Seifer. They didn't even seem to care.)

"Yeah, well, so you know what it feels like," Ami said. She pulled her hand back down to her side. "I mean, even if I survive the battle, even if I complete the mission, I might still fail the test. It's just layers and layers of stress, all on top of each other. So many things to focus on, so many things that can go wrong. Even if I win, I might lose! It's horrible!"

"Hey, you know what my trick is?" Zell said. Ami shook her head. "Simplify! That's the secret. I know it seems like there's a lot goin' on, but there isn't. SeeD is this big, well-oiled machine and we're all just little parts of it. As long as you do your part and stay focused, then everything will turn out okay! Leave all the worryin' to the big shots who are planning the mission. That's all ya need to do. Focus on the moment, baby!"

Zell—caught up in the moment—struck a dramatic pose, clenching his fists in excitement. He relaxed and gave Ami a thumbs-up.

"Hm. Makes sense," Ami said. She returned his thumbs-up.

"I've only seen two kinds of people fail the Exam," Zell said. "People who didn't remember their training, and people who didn't listen to orders. I know you know your training, and I know you'll listen. So you'll be fine."

"You'll watch out for me, right?" Ami said. She put her hands behind her back and ground the tip of her toe onto the stage. She looked up at him with her round eyes, trusting Zell implicitly. In that moment, she was so impossibly cute that Zell thought he'd collapse.

(Must… focus…)

"I-I'll be with you for the first half," Zell said, struggling to make his mouth work. "After that, Mireya's gonna look after you. You'll be fine, no worries."

Ami took a deep breath. "Yeah. I'll be fine."

"Yup. That's all it takes," Zell said. "Positive thinking!"

(1545.)

Zell hadn't lied to Ami. He believed wholeheartedly that remaining focused and thinking positively would see him through, not only this battle, but every battle in the future as well. But there were times when it took a great deal of positive thinking to balance the scales. This was one of those times.

Mentally, he went over his mission, step by step, once more. There were so many people involved, so many variables, so many things that could go wrong. He tried not to worry about them. He tried to simplify, like he had told Ami, but part of his mission required him to at least recognize possible threats before they arose. And as he was learning, it was difficult—if not impossible—to think about a problem without immediately worrying about it.

(Oh man.)

He stood with the Contact Team and the Support Team at Garden's front gate. For many years, the front gate had been a long exterior walkway leading outside Garden. However, once Garden became mobile, only the opening itself stayed attached to the rest of the school, leaving a massive, rectangular hole in the side of the building. Technicians at Fisherman's Horizon had installed a retractable metal door, sealing the hole shut from the elements. That door was currently closed, blocking Zell from seeing what was going on outside.

Zell, with the others, huddled beside the metal door, listening to the wind and the waves outside. They were still a few minutes from making land. Underneath his uniform he wore his civilian clothes. The extra layers, the crowded space, plus his growing nerves made sweat bead on his forehead. He swallowed, his dry mouth producing almost no saliva.

(Keep it cool. Simplify.)

Only three people comprised the Contact Team: Zell, Dax, and Xu. Xu stood with her back to the metal door, keeping her eye on the crowd. Dax cracked his knuckles and warmed up his muscles. In his SeeD uniform, his muscles were covered, but he was still taller and more intimidating than Zell.

"That fight with you and me?" Dax said quietly. "That was just a game. This is where the real action is. Think you can handle it?"

Zell looked at Dax, thinking back to Xu's comment, about how Dax had never had much real combat experience. He thought back to all he'd been through since joining SeeD. The crazy path his life had taken starting the day after his graduation and leading up to this moment.

(Man, if you knew what I've seen…)

Zell stifled a laugh, but little snorting breaths escaped through his nose.

Dax scoffed. "Yeah. Lotsa guys laugh when they're nervous. Then they cry when the fighting starts."

(Oh man, he is just like Seifer.)

Zell sighed loudly.

(It's gonna be a looooong mission…)

"Both of you, be quiet," Xu said.

"Ma'am," the two SeeDs said.

Dax glared at Zell, not speaking aloud, but saying volumes with his derisive expression. Zell rolled his eyes and looked away.

(Whatever, dude.)

Zell glanced at the Support Team, which featured a mix of several dozen SeeDs and cadets. The cadets were all being graded on their performance, with their SeeD counterparts all watching and taking note of their behavior and actions. Those cadets who scored high enough would graduate to full SeeD membership at the end of the mission.

The Support Team wasn't as big as the Decoy Team—which was currently gathering in the parking lot on the other side of Garden—but it was large enough to trick Galbadia into thinking that they were the real objective. It was also enough to protect the Contact Team and ensure they infiltrated the city without being seen.

A few steps away, Zell could see Ami in the crowd. She held her weapon of choice—a long staff carved with spiral runes and arcane designs—tightly against her chest with both hands. She stared intensely at the metal wall in front of her, as if she could see other worlds beyond it. She didn't seem to notice Zell's gaze, or if she did, she ignored it. That was probably a good thing, because he knew that the Field Exam included a "Conduct" score, and she'd probably have points deducted for talking before the mission.

(Just focus, Ami.)

With three chimes, the intercom came on. Nida's voice, wavering a little with anxiety, came over the speakers.

"All right, teams," Nida said. "The continent is in sight. Ready on my mark."

The intercom chimed again, and shut off. Mireya stepped in front of the crowd, her back to the metal wall, and shouted above the din of the Garden's engines and the rush of the sea and air outside.

"Support Team, form ranks!" she yelled, her voice stern and commanding.

The members of the Support Team quickly filed into five long rows, standing one in front of the other. Mireya strode up and down the ranks, offering whispered advice and criticism to the SeeDs and cadets as she worked her way through the lines.

"Stay with me," Xu said to her team. "Don't worry about the Support Team. Move when I do, do what I tell you. And Zell, do not forget about your radio. Protect it at all costs."

Zell nodded confidently, but secretly he was relieved she'd reminded him about the radio. He'd all but forgotten about the little gray brick stuffed in the front pocket of his civilian pants.

(Can't lose this little guy.)

Shortly after SeeD became aware that Galbadia had invaded Balamb, Quistis ordered a small group to infiltrate Balamb and do reconnaissance. They'd verified Caraway's claims and returned with a bonus: a few Galbadian military radios, stolen from an unguarded vehicle near the front entrance. One such radio now sat in Zell's pocket; its twin waited on the bridge with Nida. The rest were disseminated through the Garden Team, to be used later in the mission.

The radio was a huge crux of the plan, allowing the Contact Team to communicate effectively with Garden. Without the radio, they would have to depend on sources within Timber to make contact, and that would be unreliable at best, dangerous at worst.

The intercom chimed and turned on again. Zell and the other students were confused, not expecting another report so soon.

(Huh?)

"Er…" Nida said over the speakers.

Over the intercom, they could hear a voice that sounded like the Headmaster, whispering something to Nida.

"Right," Nida said, responding to the voice. "Okay, guys. Galbadia has unexpectedly set up a, uh, blockade right in our path. We're umm… we're gonna blast through, so hold onto something. It's gonna get a bit rocky in a sec."

The intercom chimed and shut off. Mireya and Xu reacted immediately.

"Away from the gate and against the wall!" Mireya said.

"Hunker down and brace for impact," Xu said to everyone. "Don't move until ordered."

The Support Team broke ranks and backed away from the front gate, towards the center walkway ring of Garden. There, they squatted down, leaning their backs against the interior walls and the stone edges of the water fountains. The students got a bit disorganized in the shuffle, with inexperienced cadets bumping into each other in a flurry of panic, but Zell and Dax stayed right next to Xu, crouched and ready.

A moment later, Garden lurched as Nida slammed on the accelerator. The floor shifted under their feet. Zell adjusted his weight, leaning forward to keep his balance. A couple cadets tumbled over with cries of surprise.

"Brace yourselves!" Xu said a little too late, gripping the wall with her hands. Zell and Dax put their hands on the floor, like sprinters waiting for the starting gun.

Beyond the gate, the sounds of wind and water were joined with the faint popping of gunfire. At first, there was only a single line of bullets, tapping away in the distance as it fired at Garden. But moments later, several more guns joined the assault. As the Garden got closer, the bullets began finding their mark, ricocheting off the Garden's frame with metallic pings.

A trail of bullets ran across the front gate, bouncing off it with a startling bang bang bang. The more experienced SeeDs remained focused, while many of the young, inexperienced cadets yelped, their gasps echoing against the high metal wall of the front gate. Some cadets fidgeted anxiously. Others began to whisper amongst each other.

(They're losin' points for that.)

Zell stole a glance over at the others, scanning faces and looking for Ami. He found her near the middle of the pack, sitting on the ground with her staff across her lap. She had her eyes closed, breathing deeply, her chest inflating with each breath. Her eyes snapped open and met Zell's. He smiled and gave her a thumbs-up. She nodded almost imperceptibly, so as to not get points deducted for being distracted.

(That's how ya do it. Stay calm.)

With three chimes, the intercom turned back on. "—ONTACT! BRACE YOURSELVES!" Nida yelled into the speaker.

Before he'd even finished his warning, the Garden crashed with stunning impact, throwing everyone off their balance and flat onto the ground. A metallic screech resonated down the halls of the school as the exterior ring of the Garden tore through the hull of a Galbadian ship no one at the front gate could see. The shrieking sound stabbed at Zell's ears, forcing him to cover them with his hands.

The screeching soon relented, but the gunfire continued. Now it was no longer peppering the front, but clattering along the sides and rear of the Garden.

(Sounds like the worst hailstorm ever.)

The gunfire began to fade in the distance, the unwieldy Galbadian warships unable to keep pace with the speed and maneuverability of the Garden, especially as it moved into shallower water.

The intercom chimed again. Nida was panting as if he'd been running. "The barricade… I mean the blockade is clear. Don't see any other obstacles. Decoy Team, ready on my mark."

Mireya and Xu stood up, once again taking command.

"Support Team, form ranks!" Mireya yelled. The Support Team staggered to their feet and assembled in five perfect lines again. Xu, Zell, and Dax took their spots near the front gate, outside the rest of the formation. Zell could feel Dax's eyes boring into him, desperately trying to get Zell's attention, but Zell did not give him the satisfaction.

Instead, he turned and found Ami again, in line with the rest of the Support Team. He shrugged his shoulders confidently and smiled.

(Like nothing!)

She smiled back.

The Garden pushed upward as they made landfall. It felt like being on an elevator. Outside, Zell could hear the rush of water as Garden emerged from the sea like a movie monster. The Garden's thrusters worked against the earth to keep the Garden hovering up above the soil.

(Phase 1: Make landfall. Complete.)

He wished he could peer through the metal gate, to see Timber and what it looked like. Were there swarms of Galbadians, covering the city like blue ants? Were there only a few guards posted here and there? Was Timber burning, or damaged? All he knew was what he could hear and what he could feel in his feet. But he could only hear and feel the rumble of the Garden below and the rush of the wind outside.

(Suspense is killin' me.)

The intercom chimed again.

"Decoy Team on my mark…" Nida said. The Garden slowed to a stop, then lowered to the ground, touching down with a heavy thump. The floor shook, and Zell wavered in place, extending out his arms to keep his balance.

"Go! Decoy Team!" Nida said.

At the other end of the Garden, Zell knew, Quistis and the rest of the Decoy Team were rushing out to Timber. They were depending on the speed of Garden's vehicles—some armored and some not— to protect them and keep them ahead of the Galbadian army. Zell could hear their vehicles' engines outside as they sped across the field to engage with the enemy. Theirs was easily the most dangerous assignment in the operation, and Zell knew it was unlikely that all the members of the team would come back safely. He knew it, and tried not to worry about it.

Tried, and failed.

(Phase 2: Deploy Decoy Team. Complete.)

Less than a minute later, the last of the cars raced out of the parking lot and the Garden rose from the ground, driving forward again. Judging by the sounds outside, Galbadia's ground forces had caught up to Garden and the Decoy Team. The rumble of car engines and the popping of gunfire could be heard below Garden's thrusters. The Decoy Team would be trying its best to pull away as many soldiers from Garden as possible, but Zell could still hear the Garden taking hits as it arced south around Timber.

Soon, Garden descended into the ocean again, jerking suddenly as the bottom hit the resistance of the water. The Galbadian ground forces were unable to continue pursuit, and the sounds of their weapons faded in the distance.

After a couple of minutes, the intercom chimed again.

"Support and Contact Teams, on my mark," Nida said.

"Get ready to move!" Mireya said to her team. "Stay behind me!"

"Blend in with the crowd," Xu said to Dax and Zell, "But don't get in anyone's way. And stay with me. Don't get separated."

The Garden rose from the ocean once more. Zell waited, straining his ears to listen for the sounds of a Galbadian attack, but it seemed the G-Army had been caught off guard. Apparently, they weren't expecting Garden to circle around and hit them from the other side, and had arrogantly over-committed to attacking the Decoy Team.

(So far so good!)

The Garden slowed to a stop, then dropped to the ground. It hit the earth, hard. The heavy metal wall in front of Zell opened outward, connected to the floor by a giant hinge, and formed a ramp down to the grassy terrain. Sunlight poured in through the opening, blinding Zell for a moment before his eyes adjusted.

"Go! Support and Contact Teams!" Nida yelled through the intercom.

"MOVE!" Mireya yelled, running forward down the ramp, her sword raised in one hand like a banner, rallying the troops behind her. Xu, Zell, and Dax chased after her, with the rest of the Support Team moving down the long ramp as well, their footsteps clattering on the metal.

(Phase 3: Deploy Support and Contact Teams. Complete.)

Zell hit the fields running, a stampede of students racing before him, behind him, and alongside him. The Garden required an area void of trees in order to reach the ground, so Nida had found a clearing where Galbadian loggers had leveled a huge swath of land, reducing the lush greenery to mere stumps and brambles. The hot air smelled of sawdust and tree sap.

Zell vaulted over a stump, almost losing his footing on an exposed root on the other side, as he and the others sprinted north. Behind them, the Garden lifted off, spraying a cloud of dust and leaves and grass before turning south towards the ocean. All around the edges of the clearing were the verdant forests Timber was famous for. Curious, Zell glanced eastward as he ran, to see if the city itself was visible yet, but they were too far out to see it beyond the thick trees.

The SeeDs and cadets reached the tree line and broke apart, everyone finding their own path through the maze of pines and oaks, over the ferns and long grass. Zell swatted away branches, snapping them as he ran, clearing a hole for others to follow. He was dimly aware that Dax was behind him, and Xu was off to the side.

Galbadia, they knew, would have undoubtedly seen Garden approach. The fact that they didn't already have soldiers ready and waiting proved that second SeeD charge had surprised them. The G-Army had taken the bait and overcommitted to the other side of the city, leaving the western side exposed. But that error would soon be corrected, once Galbadia realized what was going on.

The group burst through the trees and emerged in another clearing. This one was not made by Galbadian clear-cutting operations, but by Timber's train tracks. Zell's feet hit the loose stones and gravel of a track junction, where a northbound route met with the east-west line that led into and out of the city. He stepped over the steel rails and stopped. He could feel sweat starting to form on his brow, but he wasn't even close to being tired.

(Phase 4: Reach rendezvous point.)

Zell looked around at the others, making sure that no one had gotten separated. In such a short sprint, it was unlikely that anyone had fallen behind, but it was important to be sure. Xu and Dax gathered around him, ensuring that the Contact Team stayed together. Mireya went through the cluster of SeeDs and cadets, doing a quick headcount. Zell scanned the crowd and found Ami near the middle, clutching her staff.

(She looks okay.)

"Where's the train?" a female voice asked.

At first, the only thing Zell noticed was that it was a cadet who said that, and he wondered if she would be docked points for speaking out of turn. Then he realized that she was right, the Timber train they were scheduled to meet at this junction was nowhere to be found. Zell and the others looked up the northbound rail line and down both east and west, but there was nothing. The tracks were empty, disappearing into the woods.

"Oh, man," Zell said.

"Stay calm," Xu said.

(Yeah, right!)

Despite Xu's calm demeanor, Zell knew that this was one of the worst possible scenarios the team could have faced. It wasn't a simple matter of the train being late. Quistis and the others had taken great pains to make sure that the Timber team they were scheduled to meet got out of the city well before the attack happened. The train was supposed to be sitting on the tracks, ready and waiting, hours before they arrived. The fact that it wasn't here proved that something somewhere had gone terribly wrong.

Things got worse when Zell heard engines rumbling beyond the trees.

(Galbadia!)

"Crap!" Zell said, the word slipping out of his mouth accidentally.

The G-Army had finally wised up to SeeD's diversion, and began sending troops out to confront the invaders. With Garden long gone and the train nowhere to be found, their only choice was to hunker down and battle it out with the Galbadians and wait for Nida to swing back around and collect them.

(The mission's over. We failed.)

During the planning stages of the mission, some of the other SeeDs had raised concerns about trusting too much in the Timber resistance. They had argued that everything should be done by SeeDs, to keep mistakes like this from happening. Those people who'd voiced those concerns were now vindicated, but Zell doubted they'd be happy about being right about this.

(Talk about a lose-lose situation…)

The first Galbadian army car raced into view in the distance, its tires kicking up gravel and dirt as it barreled down on the students. Behind it came another, and another, then half a dozen, and a dozen. They were still a long ways away, but they would be upon the students in less than a minute.

Still more were coming while Mireya and Xu issued orders.

"Spread out!" Mireya said. "Find cover and return fire!"

"Stay with me!" Xu said to Zell and Dax. "There might still be a way inside."

Zell hoped she was right, but he seriously doubted it. Without a Timber train to give them speed and power to break through the Galbadian lines, it was unlikely they find a way into the city, especially now that they were on the alert for SeeD.

(We gotta try anyway!)

The three members of the Contact Team leapt off the train tracks and back into the woods as the first pops of gunfire began echoing through the trees. The Support Team scattered about, their blue cadet uniforms and black SeeD uniforms only partially visible in the dense foliage. Those with guns for their weapon specialties got into kneeling positions behind large trees and returned fire at the Galbadian cars. Everyone else needed to depend on magic to retaliate.

"No earth magic!" Mireya yelled. "Don't damage the tracks! No fire either!"

Instead of stopping, Xu kept running deeper into the woods until the tracks were barely discernible, then she turned towards the Galbadian advance, running parallel to the tracks. Zell and Dax struggled to keep up, braches whipping at their faces, pine needles clawing their skin.

(Where's she going?)

The Contact Team got further and further away from the rendezvous point. The Galbadian cars were seconds away from them, soldiers leaning from the car windows, firing bullets down the tracks at the Support Team.

Up ahead, Zell saw a blue glow forming around Xu's hands. As the lead car sped past, she wheeled around and made a throwing motion, hurling a block of ice the size of Zell's entire body at the side of the car. Her timing was perfect, and the block of ice tore out of the forest and hit the car's engine block at full speed, spinning the car wildly before it rolled onto its side and skidded to a stop on its roof.

(Woah!)

"Nice!" Zell said.

"Down!" Xu said, dropping to the earth.

Xu's trick had taken out the lead car, but it also alerted the Galbadians of their position. Within seconds, the trees around them sprouted bullet holes, and green chunks of leaves and branches filled the air like mist. Zell yelped and dropped to the ground, feeling splintered wood stabbing at his arms, neck, and clothes.

Zell didn't dare look up with all the bullets piercing the air. He kept his face down, his hands laced behind his head to shield it from the debris. Although the members of the Contact Team were now effectively pinned down, Xu's flanking maneuver had forced the Galbadians to divide their fire, instead of concentrating it wholly on the Support Team.

(Glad she's on our side…)

Slowly, Zell recognized that the bullets being sent their way were unfocused, wild. He realized that that meant the Galbadians didn't actually know where they were, and were firing blindly into the woods.

He could barely open his eyes with all the fragments in the air, but he could hear G-Army cars skidding to a stop near the junction point, concentrating their fire on the students there. The combined gunfire in the forest was so loud he could feel the sound waves bursting through the air. His ears were ringing, his eyes were watering, but he refused to just stand by and do nothing.

He called up a spell in his hand, focusing on his clenched fist. He felt a buzzing in his fingers as the electricity took form. When the spell was ready, he braced himself and got into a kneeling position, searching for the nearest G-Army car. He saw a group of three near the rendezvous point, their soldiers spraying bullets wildly at the Support Team. He extended his arm and the lightning in his body leapt from his hand to the cars, blowing out their windows and sending them crashing into the woods. At least one soldier was thrown from his vehicle and fell limp to the ground.

(Take that!)

The Galbadians didn't allow him a chance to celebrate, focusing their fire on the source of the lightning. He yelped and dropped back down to his stomach, bullets piercing the air above his head.

(How long can we keep this up?)

He had no idea what the condition of the Support Team was, but he could hear G-Army cars still rumbling down the tracks, more and more every second. A nauseous feeling wormed in his stomach as he realized that they wouldn't be hold their position long enough for Nida to come get them. Nor were they likely to be able to get back to the clearing where he'd left them. Not only was the mission doomed, so too were all the students in the Contact and Support teams.

He breathed a curse into the ground, the grass brushing on his face.

Then, from the west, came the long, tinny horn of an oncoming train. Zell heard cheers of relief come from the Support Team, and he knew what it meant.

(The train's here!)

Xu crawled on her belly over to Zell and slapped him on the shoulder to make him pay attention. Still covering his head with his hands, he turned and looked at her. She was squinting, her shoulders hunched as explosions and magic spells and bullets lanced the sky above and around her.

"We gotta fall back!" Xu said. He could barely hear her over the sounds of battle. "Back to the junction!"

"How?" he asked.

"Protect spells!" she said. "You got any?"

"Yeah!" Zell said.

"Okay, hit us up," Xu said. "Then we're sprinting back, got it?"

Zell thought the idea was crazy, but he agreed anyway. Protect spells were notoriously bad at deflecting bullets and wore out quickly, hardly an idea solution to their predicament.

(Not like I got a better plan.)

He looked around and saw Dax behind huddled Xu. Zell gathered a protect spell in his hand, cast it on himself, called another for Xu, and cast one more on Dax. Three translucent blue discs formed around the group, buzzing and humming with energy, before making a popping sound and turning invisible. Though the shields were totally clear, Zell could still feel the energy of their magic tingling his skin, making his hairs stand on end.

"On three," Xu said to Zell and Dax. "One… two… three!"

Xu scrambled to her feet, sprinting into the cloud of debris and chaos. Zell shut his brain off, pushed aside his fear and doubt, and got to his feet, chasing after her. Dax was only a step behind him.

Now the Galbadians could see them clearly, and their gunfire focused on the sprinting trio. Zell dodged around trees as they burst into splinters, ducked under branches, feeling an occasional bullet hit his shield and deflect haphazardly into the woods. With each hit the magic faded, and there wasn't enough time to recast the spells.

(Focus!)

He ignored everything and kept running, pumping his feet and keeping his eyes on Xu's back. He could hear Dax's footsteps tearing through the undergrowth a step behind him. His shield buzzed weakly, barely throwing aside a bullet, and Zell knew the next direct hit would probably strike flesh.

(Go, go, go!)

Amid a storm of bullets, the three got back to the junction. The Timber train was a single long car, sitting parked in the middle of the intersection. It was dark brown, with a bear's jaws painted on the front, the tips of the teeth colored with blood. Shots ricocheted off the metal frame with pings and pops. All around the junction were fallen G-Soldiers, ruined G-Army cars—smoke pouring from their engines—and a layer of spent bullet casings almost as thick as the gravel on the tracks.

The side door of the train was open, with Mireya standing there, throwing lightning bolts ahead to keep the Galbadians at bay. She looked up and saw the Contact Team returning.

"Get in!" she yelled, waving with her hand. She hurled one more bolt of lightning, then ducked out of the doorway to allow them inside. Xu burst from the tree line and leapt into the train, crashing into the far wall. Zell came after her, exposed and naked to gunfire for a terrifying second, before diving into the train after her. His momentum carried his body into hers, and the pair slammed hard into the wall.

"OOF," they both hollered.

A moment later, Dax burst in, his muscled shoulder catching Zell in the spine—like being hit with a flying boulder—and hurling him into Xu a second time. All three collapsed to the floor in a pained, tangled heap of arms and legs.

(OW!)

Mireya reached over the three and slammed the door shut. She spun around and shouted to the conductor, "Drive!"

With a screech and a hiss, the engine began its work, lurching the armored train forward into the onslaught. Outside, the Galbadians desperately tried to stop it, but armed only with rifles, their ineffective attacks could only dent the frame and ruin the paint job. The train jerked as it plowed through a Galbadian car, but no serious damage was done.

Lying on the ground in a pile with Xu and Dax, Zell panted from pain and exertion. Shortly before, the mission had been a hopeless failure, and his lifespan could be measured in minutes. Now the mission was back on, and he and the others were still alive. He couldn't help but smile.

(Phase 5: Enter train.)

"Get up," Xu said sternly. She pushed Dax's leg off her shoulders and lifted herself upright. Zell rolled onto his stomach and bounced to his feet. His protect spell was already gone, but it had served him well. His skin under his uniform was an art gallery of cuts, scratches, and more bruises than he could even feel, but he had somehow escaped serious injury.

He looked down at Dax, smiling triumphantly for a moment, until his saw his companion's condition. A pool of wetness was forming on Dax's leg, in the middle of his thigh. Through his SeeD uniform, the blood looked black and sticky. There was a ragged hole in his pants, the size of a bullet.

(Oh no…)

Dax winced and grabbed at the wounded area with both hands, staunching the blood flow. He propped himself up into a sitting position, his back against the metal wall. There was bang as the train plowed through another Galbadian car, the vibrations making Dax groan with pain.

"Damn it," he said through clenched teeth. "Took a hit just as I was comin' in. Bastards."

"Medic!" Xu yelled up the train.

Ami heard the call and jogged down the length of the car. She smiled at Zell, a quick flash, and he smiled back.

(She's okay!)

Ami squatted down next to Dax. She saw where the wound was and pointed her elaborately-carved staff the growing blood stain. Zell could see her face tighten with concentration as she summoned up her healing magic in her staff, green energy swirling around the weapon like a mist.

"Can you handle this?" Xu asked her. "No offense, but I'd prefer someone with more experience."

Ami didn't respond, focusing everything on the spell. The green mist coalesced into rivers of energy, circling the staff and flowing towards the tip, heading for Dax's wound.

"She's got it," Zell said to Xu with a smile.

The train jerked with another impact, bullets peppering all sides as it barreled down the tracks. Still, Ami didn't let her attention drop. The spell finished forming, then beamed out the tip of her staff and into Dax's leg, soaking into the wound like water.

At first, Zell thought the spell was ineffective, or too weak for Dax's grievous injury. The sticky black patch on his leg was still there, ugly and painful-looking. Then Zell remembered that a simple cure spell wasn't going to put Dax's spent blood back in his body, nor would it patch up the hole in his clothes.

Dax's teeth were still clenched, but he began to relax in waves. After a moment, he poked his fingers at the wound. He frowned with surprise.

"Not bad…" he said. He looked up at Ami, genuinely impressed. "Not bad."

She smiled, then went back up the train car to attend to others in need.

"Let me see," Xu said.

"It's fine," Dax said. He got to his feet—a great sign in itself—and brushed her off. "Really, she got it."

"I don't need to you act macho," Xu said. "I need you to ready to fight. Now let me see."

Dax grumbled and rolled up his pants leg. He, like Zell, was wearing his civilian clothes under his uniform, so he had to pull both layers high up his leg to expose the wound, but soon they could all see the circular pink scar where there had once been a gaping bullet hole.

Zell's jaw dropped in awe.

(If she doesn't graduate, then I'll eat my shoes.)

Xu nodded, allowing Dax to roll his pant legs down.

"Take off your uniforms," she said to Dax and Zell. "Get ready for the next phase."

Both of them nodded and began stripping off their clothes. Obviously, the mission would be a failure if Galbadia spotted three uniformed SeeDs wandering through the city. That's why everyone on the Contact Team wore their civilian clothes underneath their uniforms.

In a couple rapid motions, Zell jumped out of his pants and pulled off his shirt, revealing his regular blue shorts and black shirt beneath. He folded up his clothes and set them aside on the floor. Hopefully someone from the Support Team would collect them and bring them back to Garden, but if they didn't, Zell could be issued another set. Xu undressed quickly as well. Beneath her uniform she wore a pink shirt so faded it was almost white, and a denim skirt, ragged at the hems from age.

Dax was wearing a tight, white bodybuilder's t-shirt, proudly showing off his muscular torso, and stretch pants. But now his civilian pants were stained with fresh blood with a ragged hole torn in the middle. He frowned at his ruined pants. Without a word, he reached down and ripped off both legs of his pants and threw them aside.

"Guess I'm wearin' shorts now," Dax said. He sighed. "I always liked those pants..."

Dax's legs were just as obscenely muscled as his upper body. He was like a living anatomy lesson, each individual muscle perfectly defined. Zell felt positively tiny by comparison with his thin, swimmer's physique.

(Maybe I should lift more weights?)

Xu pushed forward through the train, moving between the members of the Support Team, heading towards the front. Zell and Dax followed, glancing around at the state of affairs.

Zell didn't know how many people were in the Support Team, but it appeared that everyone was inside the train and alive. A few wounded were still being treated by medics—Ami being one of the healers—but everyone seemed okay.

(Wonder if Ami would like it if I worked out more…)

He imagined himself Dax's size, with Ami wrapping her arms around his massive biceps and gasping with delight.

(Nah, it'd be weird.)

The inside walls of the train were formed of windowless metal. Zell saw the Timber team—no more than four or five at the most—spaced around the train. They wore regular civilian clothes, but each had a brown bandanna tied somewhere on their personage. They ignored the SeeDs, listening to the sounds of battle fade away as the train sped away from the Galbadian pursuers. Zell assumed that they were somewhere in the city by now, but "where" was a question he couldn't answer.

He rejoined Xu at the front of the train. The conductor stood before a wall of levers, gears, and monitors. There were no windows, no obvious weaknesses in the train's armor. The conductor had to navigate entirely based on his machines. An LED readout plotted their course as a blue line amidst a field of green lines that—Zell guessed—indicated all the railways in the city. Timber's primary mode of transportation was by rail, and hundreds of tracks laced the city.

"How long before the drop off point?" Xu asked.

"One, two minutes tops," the conductor said. He turned to her. "Hey, sorry about the late arrival. Galbadia sent a patrol down the tracks and we had to circle around and come back to avoid them. We thought we'd get back in time but… well…"

"You got here," Xu said. "That's all that matters."

The conductor nodded and returned to his screens. Xu noticed Zell standing behind her and she gestured at his pocket.

"How's your radio?" she asked.

"Oh, right," Zell said, once again having completely forgotten its existence. He reached into his pocket and pulled it out. It appeared to be undamaged and when he turned it on and cranked up the volume, he could hear a steady hiss of static from the speaker.

"Good," Xu said. "We'll be moving in a minute. Be ready on my mark."

Zell nodded. "Gotcha." He shut the radio off and stuffed it back into his pocket. The trio worked their way to the back of the train and to the door. To pass the time, Zell went over the next step in his head.

Once inside the city, the train would turn and head down smaller, less-populated tracks, avoiding Galbadian patrols and pursuit until it came to a spot where tracks formed an S-curve. The nearby buildings blocked the view of the tracks in this section, making it an ideal spot for a secret drop off.

The train would slow here, allowing the Contact Team to exit the train. The train would then continue on with the charade, drawing Galbadians towards it and away from the Contact Team. After another battle, the students would pretend to be overwhelmed by the soldiers, then retreat out of the city and rejoin with Garden. But the exact details of that stage were known only to the Support Team, not Zell.

Zell wondered to himself why all the secrecy and complicated maneuvers were necessary, but didn't let his wondering turn into doubting. Quistis, Xu, and the Headmaster had come up with this plan, so it was obviously the best course of action available.

(Those guys are the planners. I just punch stuff.)

"Almost to the drop off point," the conductor called. He turned around. "You ready?"

Xu nodded.

"All right," the conductor said. "I ain't gonna stop all the way. Just slow enough to keep you from breakin' a leg when you hit the ground."

"Understood," Xu said.

"Hang on," the conductor said. He read his screens, watching the lines on the screen move back and forth. The train swayed on the tracks as he rounded a sharp bend, making everyone on board wobble. Zell clutched at the wall to steady himself. The conductor yanked a lever and the brakes squealed. He pushed a buttong that popped open the door. Air rushed in through the opening, making Zell squint.

"Go!" Xu said, pushing on Zell's back. He leapt from the train, which was going at twice his running speed. The blue bricks of the city street rushed up to meet him. He hit the ground feet first, then tucked his head down and rolled along the ground, keeping his arms and legs tight to his body until he tumbled to a stop.

Dizzy, but unharmed, Zell scrambled to his feet as Xu and Dax leapt off the train a moment later. They both rolled to a stop and stood up. Xu motioned for the other two to follow her as she rushed down a nearby stairwell leading to a door covered in flaking red paint. As Zell followed down the steps, he noticed a sign above the door: neon pink words advertising the establishment as "The Slippery Geezard."

(Some name.)

The three huddled in the doorway, just out of sight, and tried to act casual. They waited and listened for the sounds of Galbadian pursuit, but only the sounds of the distant battle on the far side of town reached them.

"Guess we lost 'em," Zell said. Xu nodded.

(Phase 6: Infiltrate the city, undetected. Complete.)

"Stay behind me," Xu said. She jogged up the steps and looked around, Dax and Zell right behind her. The street was empty, aside from a few parked cars. The crowded buildings formed a natural wall that prevented them from seeing—or being seen from—any distance greater than a block. Acting calm, but still hurrying, Xu walked down the road. The two SeeDs followed.

Timber's layout didn't seem to make any sense to Zell. Some roads were built for car traffic, some only for trains, and there were a great many walkways extending above the streets that only could support pedestrians. Xu moved quickly down the streets, through alleyways, up and down stairs, and across train tracks. Zell had been required to memorize the path from the drop off point to the TV Station, but after a few twists and turns, he was completely lost, and thankful that Xu was much better at memorizing directions than he was.

(Glad I'm not in charge.)

They emerged from an alleyway into a major road, with a trolley rolling down a set of tracks that divided the street in half lengthwise. The trolley was empty, everyone in the city hunkering down as the battle raged outside.

Down another street, they came perilously close to a Galbadian barricade, three G-Army cars parked the block access down a road. Several soldiers armed with both swords and rifles stood watch. For a second, Zell froze in fear, wondering if there was going to be a fight, but the G-Soldiers didn't pay much attention to the trio. Xu kept her calm and headed down another street, and Zell and Dax continued to follow.

(Everything's working perfectly.)

Eventually they found themselves in a long, straight alleyway with the TV Station looming at the end. It squatted among the smaller buildings around it, big and blue, with antennas and a broadcasting dish emerging from the top.

Xu hunkered down near a dumpster, indicating with her hand that Dax and Zell should do so also. Xu peered above the dumpster, looking down the alley.

"Do you guys see any patrols?" she asked.

Zell and Dax looked around opposite sides of the dumpster, eyeing down the alley. He could only see a sliver of the TV Station through the buildings, but what he could see was totally empty. It was a clear shot all the way to the end.

(Okay… this seems a little too easy.)

Zell shook his head at Xu. "Nothing," he said.

"Yeah, it's empty," Dax said.

Xu sighed and kept watching. "This is weird. There's supposed to be Galbadian blockades all around the building. So… where are they?"

Zell shrugged. "Maybe they went off to fight somewhere?"

"And leave the sorceress unguarded?" Xu said. "If the G-Army was that dumb, Timber would have liberated itself years ago."

In Zell's experience, the average G-Army soldier was under-educated, malnourished, and only somewhat loyal to the government. He wouldn't go so far as to call them dumb, but he could imagine them foolishly abandoning the sorceress to go fight elsewhere in the city. Nothing they did really surprised him.

"Might be a trap," Dax said.

"That's what I'm thinking," Xu said.

Zell scrunched up his face in thought. The idea of the Galbadians laying an elaborate trap rather than just canvassing the area with soldiers seemed wrong. Whenever the G-Army saw a problem, they threw troops at it. If that didn't work, they threw more troops in. Their answer to everything was "more and bigger."

"I dunno," Zell said. "Maybe we just surprised 'em. They've been pretty dumb so far."

Xu frowned and shook her head. "I don't trust this."

Zell cracked his knuckles and thought through this stage of the mission. From here, they were supposed to use Zell's radio to transmit a coded phrase onto the airwaves. Once they got the message, the Timber sorceress was supposed to provide a distraction to allow the SeeDs to sneak in. When the coast was clear, she'd turn on a beacon on top of the TV station to signal that they were ready.

Zell looked to the roof of the building and saw a blinking blue light emerging from one of the antennas.

"Hey, is that the all-clear signal?" he said, pointing at the flashing blue light.

Xu peered over the dumpster. "Huh… so it is."

"So that means it's clear, right?" Zell asked.

Xu hesitated. "Okay, fine. Move out."

The three emerged from behind the dumpster and moved down the alleyway at a cautious trot. They scanned down the alley, up at the windows of the buildings at either side, along the rooftops. At any moment, Zell expected a flash of blue uniforms, or a crackle of gunfire, but there was nothing.

They reached the end of the alleyway, where a small walkway encircled the building. Xu glanced left and right, looking for Galbadians, but seeing none. One of the windows on the first floor was open, and Xu took her chances and sprinted for it, diving through and disappearing inside the building.

Zell gave her a moment to clear away from the window, then ran in after her. He leapt headfirst through the window, tucking his arms and legs like he was diving into a pool. Wind rushed over his body when he cleared through the opening, and he rolled forward, somersaulting to a stop, then rolling out of the way as Dax hurtled through the window. Dax hit the ground with surprising grace, smoothly landing in a crouch.

(Phase 7: Enter the TV Station. Complete.)

"Upstairs, away from the windows," Xu said. They were in a blank hallway with a white brick interior. Zell looked around and saw a staircase a few steps behind him. With Xu and Dax right behind him, he dashed down the hall and up the metal steps to the second floor.

The second floor was white-brick like the first, but the walls were covered in old, dusty corkboard, with decades-old paper memos tacked on. A few doors closed spotted the hallway, with small brass plaques outside each, describing what was behind each door.

From around the corner came a guy no older than Zell, wearing ragged shorts and a ripped t-shirt. He had curly orange hair held up by a stained red bandanna. His eyes were staggeringly green, and his pale face was covered in freckles. He smiled extended a hand for a shake.

"I'm Tavin," he said. "And welcome to ground zero of the Timber Resistance."

The three members of the Contact Team took turns shaking his hand. Xu turned to Zell.

"Call it in," she said. "We made it inside."

Zell nodded and pulled his radio out of his pocket. He spun it around and turned it on, listening to the static. He dialed it in to the proper frequency and a wave of voices spilled out of the device. Part of the Garden Team's objective was to use Garden's other radios to fill this frequency with useless chatter for the duration of the mission. Doing so helped disguise the actual code words and phrases that SeeD was using to communicate. Sports scores, passages read from books, and nonsense filled the frequency.

"Where's all the guards?" Dax asked. "We just walked in here. It was too easy."

Tavin grinned. "Eh, you like that? Ciel decided she didn't like being watched all the time, so she started takin' potshots at the guards. She's got some pretty impressive range with her lightning, lemme tell you. Anyway, the guards soon wised up, and they keep their distance now. Anytime she sees a G-Soldier, she blasts 'em."

"You could have told us that," Xu said. "We were worried about a trap."

Tavin shrugged apologetically, "Sorry. But we didn't want you to think the coast was clear and then be surprised if a patrol wandered by."

(Makes sense…)

"I supposed you'll be wantin' to talk to the boss," Tavin said. Xu nodded. "I'll get her. One sec."

With a few muttered apologies, Tavin stepped past the SeeDs and headed up the stairs, disappearing from sight.

Zell remembered the radio, still spitting out voices in his face. He took a moment to remember what the code phrase was, then brought the radio to his mouth and pushed the "TALK" button.

"The show's starting," he said. He released the button. He held his breath, waiting for a reply from Nida.

There were a couple of different possible responses, depending on if the Garden was damaged, if the secrecy of the mission had been compromised, or if something else had gone wrong. Of course, the worst situation was if they didn't receive a response at all. That meant that something horrible had happened to the Garden, leaving them unable to answer at all.

A few seconds later, Nida's voice crackled over the speaker. "Save me a seat," he said.

The three exhaled in relief.

(It worked! The mission was a success!)

Zell tucked the radio into his pocket, unable to hold back and excited, "BOOYA!"

"Settle down," Xu said. "The mission's only just begun."

It was then that Zell noticed a change in the air. It didn't grow warmer or colder. He didn't hear a noise, or feel any vibrations. None of his normal physical senses were responding to anything unusual. But there was a definite change, a feeling of a distinct presence. He felt as if he was being watched from all sides at once.

Paranoid, he glanced over his shoulder, looking all around, but there was no one there.

A second later, Tavin descended the steps, followed closely by a short, blonde woman in a red bandanna. Zell recognized her from the Timber video. The only thing that surprised him was her height: she was a full head shorter than he was. But she was lean, toned, and her bare arms had numerous deep scratches.

Tavin and the girl stopped in front of the SeeD team. The feeling in the air, the intangible power that was indescribable but no less real, intensified as she drew nearer.

"You're the SeeDs?" she asked, crossing her arms.

(Phase 8: Make contact with the sorceress. Complete.)